It wasn't John Lever's fault that he could never match the brilliance of his maiden Test, in which he took 7 for 46 and 3 for 24 at Delhi in 1976-77. A left-arm fast-medium seamer notable for stamina and fitness, "JK's" stock delivery, the inswinger, often stubbornly refused to move even in conducive conditions in England. At Delhi, however, he had a stroke of luck. Early in the Indian innings a ball that was hardly moving at all lost its shape, and was replaced by one that swung prodigiously. From 43 for 1 India plunged to 49 for 4 in 16 balls from Lever, and eventually lost by an innings. Lever finished the series atop England's averages with 26 wickets at 14.61. In 16 subsequent Tests, however, his 47 wickets cost 33.42 each. He continued with Essex into cricketing old age, and then moved seamlessly into school coaching, as well as helping out with counties.
John Thicknesse